There is an ongoing need for methods of improving plant health to improve overall growth, longevity, fruit/crop yield, ornamental quality, and other desired plant attributes.
Furthermore, there is an ongoing need for methods of improving plant health as a means of counteracting the possible negative effects of herbicides, such as weed killers.
Herbicides are necessary for controlling weeds and other undesired plant pests.
However, overuse of herbicides such as weed killers can be damaging not only to the unwanted species, but also to soil and the health, growth, and development of useful and desired plants and crops.
Herbicides can injure foliage, shoots, flowers, and fruits of desired plants. If injury is severe enough, either from one incident or repeated exposure, it may reduce yield, produce poor fruit quality, distort ornamental or nursery plants, and occasionally cause plant death.
Selective herbicides kill specific targets while leaving the desired plant or crop relatively unharmed. Non-selective herbicides, however, are not specific to particular species and instead kill all plant material with which they come into contact.
Cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors such as indaziflam are known herbicides, known to be particularly effective at controlling and killing undesired weeds and grasses,
The present inventors have surprisingly found, that herbicides of the class known as cellulose biosynthesis inhibitors, such as indaziflam, when applied as described herein, actively promote plant health, growth, and development of desired plants.